Disadvantages Of Ethanol

You've probably heard from your workplace or from the media about the advantages of using ethanol fuel as an alternative to fuel gasoline. Ethanol is a plant based alcohol that is used as fuel. It comes from corn, wheat, cellulose, sugarcane and other renewable sources. Unlike petroleum based fossil fuels the production of ethanol can continue in unlimited capacity because the sources from which it comes can be planted and replanted. Ethanol is alcohol that is used in beverages however before being turned into fuel a denaturant like gasoline is added to the mix.


One advantage of ethanol is the impact on the ozone layer. Ethanol does not emit the same level of harmful polluting emissions that gasoline does. For this reason a small amount of ethanol is found in conventional gasoline to make it burn cleaner. However what we are talking about here is E85, the fuel that is 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. There are more than 400 filling stations and millions of cars using E85. This does not mean that this fuel source is not without its downsides.

Some opponents of ethanol say it takes away from the world's food source by using up corn and wheat. While the use of inedible cellulose is being considered and studied as a possible solution this issue is currently on the table, so to speak. Another thing you may not like about ethanol is its mileage. When compared to gasoline you'll get 10 to 30 percent fewer miles to the gallon. If your vehicle is made to be very fuel efficient this may not be a concern but if you have a gas guzzler or converted older vehicle mileage may be an issue.

When discussing the disadvantages of ethanol fuel it should also be mentioned that in the winter users have a harder time starting their vehicles on average. This does not affect drivers in sunny climates but for anyone who is in a cold climate or is experiencing the winter season it may be a problem. Before deciding on ethanol as an investment or as a fuel for your vehicle, you should weigh the pros and cons before making any hasty decisions. There are plenty of resources both online and in books that can help you sort out the advantages and disadvantages of plant based fuel.


People & Power - Ethanol & Bio-fuels - 17 Sep 07 - Part 1

 



The Original Revolutionary Fuel-Saving Technology

 

Ethanol Fuel News:

 

Fuel makers talk RFS, tax incentives at summit - Iowa Farmer Today

Fuel makers talk RFS, tax incentives at summit
Iowa Farmer Today
DES MOINES EUR” Ethanol and biodiesel supporters say the outlook for their products is bright for 2012, but there are potential clouds on the horizon. That was one of the big messages at this past week's Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit, an annual gathering .
Is Cellulosic Ethanol The Loch Ness Monster Of Biofuel?ThomasNet Industrial News Room
A low-cost, low-risk path to meeting US biofuels targetsBiofuels Digest
Indiana Ethanol Industry Eager to ExpandDomestic Fuel

all 5 news articles »
..


The case for biofuels in our energy mix - Financial Post

Ethanol Producer Magazine
The case for biofuels in our energy mix
Financial Post
A process operator shows a handful of corn at the GreenField Ethanol plant in Chatham, Ontario. By Tim Haig Fossil fuels are an integral part of the global economy, and will be for many years. But that doesn't mean we can't continue to introduce .
Canadian ethanol policy impacting the meat industryAll about feed
CRFA says report wrong on connection between ethanol, livestockEthanol Producer Magazine

all 14 news articles »
..


Pennsylvania State Fire Academy Offers Course in Ethanol Response
HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The State Fire Academy is taking its school on the road, beginning with a training course next month on how to respond to ethanol incidents...


Ethanol Falls With Gasoline as U.S. Demand Falls to 10-Year Low - Bloomberg

Ethanol Falls With Gasoline as U.S. Demand Falls to 10-Year Low
Bloomberg
Ethanol fell along with gasoline for the first time in three days after the Energy Department reported US demand for the motor fuel reached a 10-year low. Prices retreated a day after the government reported gasoline supplied to wholesalers sank 1.6 .

and more »
..


Canada ethanol policy hurts livestock farmers: report
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) - Ethanol production has boosted the prices of grains that Canadian farmers buy to raise cattle and pigs, and Ottawa should curb or eliminate its support for the industry, an agriculture research organization said on Tuesday. But a leading biofuels group said the report wildly overstated ethanol's impact on grain prices. ...


Valero Breaks Earnings Records in 2011 as Retail, Ethanol Improve Volumes, Production, an Industrial Info News Alert
SUGAR LAND, TX-- - Researched by Industrial Info Resources -- Valero Energy Corporation , a leading international manufacturer and marketer of transportation fuels and other petrochemical products, reported ...


Is Cellulosic Ethanol The Loch Ness Monster Of Biofuel?
It was one of those "blink and you miss it" things. In June of last year, Congress formerly repealed the nation's ethanol subsidies in a bipartisan vote that raised few eyebrows and generated only a handful of news reports...


US looks ahead after ethanol subsidy expires
After a series of bitter political fights, the US Congress allowed a subsidy for ethanol fuel to expire at the end of 2011, ending a program harshly criticized by environmentalists and others...


Genetically Engineered Stomach Microbe Converts Seaweed into Ethanol
Seaweed may well be an ideal plant to turn into biofuel. It grows in much of the two thirds of the planet that is underwater, so it wouldn't crowd out food crops the way corn for ethanol does. Because it draws its own nutrients and water from the sea, it requires no fertilizer or irrigation. Most importantly for would-be biofuel-makers, it contains no lignin--a strong strand of complex sugars ...


Cutting Edge Fuel Solutions From Sierra Help Boaters Protect Critical Engine . - DigitalJournal.com (press release)

Cutting Edge Fuel Solutions From Sierra Help Boaters Protect Critical Engine .
DigitalJournal.com (press release)
Sierra hoses and fuel/water separating filters offer boaters protection from the effects of ethanol-blended fuels on their engines. The Sierra Fuel and Water Separating Filter will effectively filter debris down to the 10-micron level.

..




The Original Revolutionary Fuel-Saving Technology



Technorati Tags: , ,